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Overnight Oats Seven Ways

December 7, 2017

This is by far the most popular post here on Another Root, and for good reason! Overnight oats is hands-down my favorite breakfast invention. Whoever came up with the concept deserves a huge hug for saving me countless hours getting a healthy breakfast ready over the last few years, especially on busy mornings when I need something I can grab on the way out the door.

Cold straight outta the fridge or heated up with a bit of extra almond milk – either way is oatmeal heaven. And this ‘recipe’ is less a recipe and more a ‘formula’. Start with an oatmeal base + add your mix ins of choice + refrigerate. That’s all there is to it. And my favorite part – you can let it set up overnight in the fridge, but it only needs 30 minutes minimum if you’re using quick oats.

So throw together one of the yummy, filling, protein-and-fiber-packed recipes below, and then get ready for work, put your feet up, or do whatever you want with that 30 minutes – it’s yours!

STEP 1: BUILD YOUR BASE

Pour a 1:1 ratio of oats and liquid into a bowl or jar. My go-to ratio is ½ cup of quick or rolled oats and a ½ cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, which fits perfectly into an 8-ounce mason jar with all the tasty mix-ins.

Not a fan of almond milk? Not to worry – you can switch it up no problem. Water, dairy milk, almond milk, soy milk, half and half or even juice will work just fine. Rolled oats definitely need to be soaked overnight, but oats of the quick-cooking variety will get you to overnight oats awesomeness in just 30 minutes.

STEP 2: MIX IT UP

Stir in your favorite flavor combinations and sweetener of choice! Below are a few of my most-favorite mix-in combos. I mean, who doesn’t want to eat german chocolate cake for breakfast without the slightest twinge of guilt? I’ve also made a toasted coconut version that’s 👌👌👌. The only limit here is your imagination.

For that extra-creamy goodness and a touch of natural sweetness, I typically mash half of a banana into all of my overnight oats. And, because texture is everything, I always add something crunchy – like pecans, walnuts, or toasted coconut.

STEP 3: REFRIGERATE

Cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator (or for at least 30 minutes if using quick oats). And get. on. with. your. life. Breakfast will take care of itself, and that time is yours. 🙌

When you’re ready to eat, may I suggest topping with more fresh fruit, granola, coconut, a dollop of almond butter (or all of the above!) and enjoy.

MAKE-AHEAD MAGIC

Take that meal-prep game of yours to the next level and get breakfast ready for the whole week! Make several individual portions and keep them covered in the refrigerator for several days. You may want to add a bit more liquid when you’re ready to eat, just a little swirl of almond milk should do the trick to get to your perfect consistency.

Reader Interactions

Comments

You can definitely heat it up! I’d recommend stirring in a little extra almond milk (or your milk of choice) — a tablespoon or two — before heating it up. The oats soak up all the milk called for in the recipe overnight. Adding a little extra will help make the heated version creamier.

Hey Kim! I suppose that would depend on your preferred method. Microwave is always easy, I heat mine up in 30 second intervals stirring in between until it’s hot (typically 90 seconds total). It doesn’t take too long, even on the stovetop, as the oats are already softened and the liquid absorbed. Just be sure to add some more milk — maybe 1/4 cup — so that the oats don’t dry out too much when heated.

The results are exactly the same as gluten free oats are only oats that have been grown in the field with no other grains growing around them. That no stray grains get into the oats. you can also use applesauce as a replacement for the liquid and add apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice. you could also add nuts or raisins or both and it will keep in the fridge for the week where those made with dairy or non dairy milk can go a bit funky after a few days. I personally use one minute oats because the Oats become that much softer and the nutritional value is exactly the same for rolled oats or 1 minute oats.

I lOVE Overnight Oats! And your non-recipes sound amazing! I’m guilty of enjoying overnight-oats as a tasty treat, rather than having them as part of a nutritional breakfast. With that being said, To the lady that asked if she could heat them up??…. I wanted to give away my little secret… BUTTER! Yes! I always cut off a generous pat of cold stick butter and plop down into my little jar of oats. When I have everything added I put the lid on and set it back in the fridge overnight. Come morning, I grab my little pre-made jar of goodness, take off the lid, and I use the microwave to zap some warm life into my treat. The butter melts, the syrup sweetens, all the toppings are having a party, and when I take that first bite,…. Mmmm …. Mmmm… Mmmm….. My morning just got a little better.

Great ideas on the oatmeal combinations! Thanks for sharing…. I just wanted to pass along my butter idea.

I’m loving the suggestions you have here. Always looking for new combinations. I make five on Sunday evening for my breakfasts Mon-Fri. I put everything in the jars at the same time then give them a shake, although, I will give them a stir before I eat them. By the time I get to the one on Friday it’s fine. I just made pumpkin spice ones….yum!!!
1/2 c. each of rolled oats and unsweetened almond milk
1/3 c. of canned pumpkin (not the pumpkin with all the added stuff in it)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2-3/4 tsp. Cinnamon (depends on how much you like cinnamon)
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
I start by putting the oats in first then the spices, flavorings, pumpkin then put the almond milk in last. Then shake it all up.

I add liquid for the entire week – never have had a problem. Once I made a 2 week batch and those actually worked too except the banana darkened. I am a lazy breakfast eater and being a diabetic, need something quick. These work for me!

English is not my first language, so I’m having some troubles understanding the difference between quick and rolled oats. When I go to the supermarket, I usually buy “oat” and there is only two kinds available: small and big. I made oatmeal a couple of times, and I cooked it with unsweetened rice milk and water for about 15-20 minutes. I’ve also used your trick to add ½ small banana, mashed to make it sweeter. I don’t really feel the need to add sweeteners or sugar or anything like that, fruit is enough for me to make it perfect.
I don’t know if I can use these recipes with the oat I find here, since I’m not sure if it will be too much for it to spend the whole night in the refrigerator. What’s the worse thing it could happen?

If the oats you’ve used before take between 15-20 minutes to cook, I bet they are rolled oats or steel cut oats. Both are totally fine to use in an overnight oats recipe due to the length of soaking. And it’s great if you don’t want to add any additional sweeteners! That’s totally up to your personal preference.

This is the first time I tried overnight oats and I did a kind of apple pie take. I used unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened applesauce, apple peels (that I keep and freeze when I make real apple pie), cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, a teaspoon or less of molasses and topped with chopped almonds and a touch more molasses. Super yummy! Thanks for the tips.

Hey Rachel! That’s a really great question. Bananas give these oatmeal recipes a creamy texture and a bit of sweetness. They don’t have a real natural replacement, but I think that I would try substituting a couple tablespoons of applesauce and increasing the milk by a couple tablespoons for added creaminess. The applesauce will add a bit of tang and depth of flavor that you would have gotten from the banana without overpowering the other flavors. Good luck! Let me know how it turns out 🙂

Hey Elizabeth — thanks for reaching out! I typically try not to count calories, focusing instead on the types of foods I’m eating like the whole grains, fruits and healthy fats. But I also know that having nutrition information is super helpful for lots of people! My Fitness Pal has a pretty slick nutrition facts counter (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator) — you just plug in the ingredients and it generates nutrition info for you, no sign up required 🙂

Thanks for sharing this recipe, Jaenell. I am always looking for quick, easy, make ahead recipes! I will do these organically . I wonder if a dry sweetener, like organic sugar, would work. Have you tried? I’m thinking it would be thicker. Also, I love honey…..have you tried any recipes with honey instead of maple syrup? TY

Hey Kris — Yes! I’ve also used organic sugar and brown sugar in these oatmeal recipes, and it’s worked out really well. I’ve never used honey in them, but I bet that would be great — I’ve got a little raw organic honey bear in my pantry that could use some lovin’ too 🙂

Thank you for this wonderful post, what a great idea for breakfast that requires little time in the morning but does not sacrifice taste and nutrition!
I liked these recipes so much I featured them on my blog, check it out here-https://delightfullyalexis.wordpress.com/2015/07/24/weekend-web-wonders-4/

I just some of these. I made banana walnut, blueberry hazelnut, and strawberry banana. I loved the blueberry one and can’t wait to try the others! I added a half a scoop of protein powder and a splash of extra milk to each one to add some protein as my diet is severely lacking in protein. I was afraid a full scoop would make it too thick. It worked out great in my opinion. This may be the first step in achieving a healthy diet plan!

Thanks for reaching out, Nancy! I think that chia seeds would be another great option to get a creamier consistency in these recipes — maybe try adding a tsp of chia seeds and a couple extra tbsp of milk.

Hi! These look wonderful, I can’t wait to try them once the school year starts back up! I am wondering if you can make these all up front and leave them in the fridge, or if the consistency would get messed up by the end of the week? I’m a big fan of Sunday meal prep for the whole work week!

Also (silly question) do you mash up the banana separately and put it in, or just put all the ingredients in and just mash it all together while you mix?!

Hey Lauren! You can definitely make these ahead. I’ve made 5 in advance for the work week before and they’ve still been great by Friday 🙂 The jars I have are pretty small, so it’s difficult to mash the bananas with everything together — so I’ve been mashing them in a bowl and then divvying it up among the jars.

These sound great, but I’m allergic to banana. Can you recommend something else to add in place of the banana to get the creamy/sweet effect? I can’t ever seem to find just the right additive to make up for the missing banana texture.

That’s a great question, Leslie. I find coconut milk to be super creamy and slightly sweet — you could try subbing that for the liquid in the recipes. Chia seeds are also great for adding that silky texture to oatmeal. Try adding a tsp of chia seeds with an extra tbsp or two of whatever liquid you choose. After a few minutes, the chia seeds will form a gel and thicken up the oatmeal.

Hey Lindsey — You should be able to microwave like normal in a glass mason jar, as long as the metal rim and top are off. When I heat up my overnight oats, I like them pretty hot — in my microwave that takes about 1.5 minutes, but my microwave is pretty old so yours might differ a bit… Try 30 second increments, stirring in between, until you get to the temperature you like 🙂

Thanks for this! I’ve never made overnight oats before. My sister’s mentioned them before, but I wasn’t inspired to try making it until just now 🙂 This should be perfect for my husband to have for breakfast (I usually get something ready for him the night before), and for me and my toddler.

Hey Sarah — thanks for reaching out! I typically try not to count calories, but I also know that having nutrition information is super helpful for lots of people! My Fitness Pal has a pretty slick nutrition facts counter (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator) — you just plug in the ingredients and it generates nutrition info for you, no sign up required. 🙂

I just came across this on Pintrest and am so glad to have it. I made these years ago and it was delicious but had lost the “recipe” and couldn’t remember the radio of liquid to oats. Heading to the kitchen now to make next weeks’ breakfast. Thanks!

Thank you so much for posting this! I have my first batch in the fridge now! Quick question though, I used a 8oz mason jar, but was barely able to fit the oats and liquid in. So I figured I’d add the rest in the morning. How do you make it all fit when doing 1/2 cup oats and 1/2 cup liquid?

I haven’t done a calorie count on each one, though the mix-ins are fairly consistent so I don’t think that total calories would change too much between them. The base, including the banana, comes in around 200 calories — so I expect that each version is between 250-300!

Tried the Blueberry muffin and the flavor was good but the texture was raw and chewy, like eating undercooked rice! I followed the recipe exactly so I’m not sure why the oats are still so chewy. Not good!

Sorry to hear that, Abbigail. With enough liquid and soaking time, oats typically soften up nicely and get really creamy. At least 30 minutes of soaking for quick oats if you’re in a rush (which I often am!), though overnight is preferred for these recipes. If you use rolled or steel cut oats, the end result will be a rougher texture.

Thanks for such creative flavor combinations. I about passed out when I saw the Almond Joy flavor 🙂 I’ve found that after sitting overnight in the refrigerator these can be frozen with no reduction in quality. I just pull one out of the freezer and pop it in the refrigerator the night before and they are ready to eat cold or heat up as usual the next morning. Since this discovery, I make a month’s supply at a time, assembly line fashion. In only 20 minutes breakfast for an entire month is prepared! FYI: I enjoy a chewy texture and a nutty flavor so I use old fashioned oats and about a tablespoon of steel cut oats instead of quick oats. Works great.

Hey Elaina, I’ve made overnight oats with yogurt a couple of times before. Depending on the consistency you like, I’d recommend reducing the liquid by half and replacing it with the same amount of yogurt. You can always add more liquid in the AM if needed!

I make one just now and I can’t wait to try it.It’s my first time.Mine is with different ingedients.I used honey,cinnamon,apples,raisins and yoghurt instead of banana.I want to put in some walnuts.Thanks for the isparation and the great recipe!

Bananas really upset my stomach. Also, the flavor and texture of a banana is not my favorite.
I’m wondering if these will taste as good without banana. And what canot I use to replace it?
Thanks for reading guys.

Can I use oat meal? I dont want to waste the packs I have but I am tired of their favors so they are sitting in my pantry. Also I am a student so I try to meal prep so I don’t spend money eating unhealthy food

Hey Jessica — why not try jazzing up the oatmeal packs you have in your pantry with some additions like extra nuts, fresh or dried fruit, coconut, nut butters to freshen them up and make them more interesting!

I think I did mine little different, after reading some of the comments I think I was supposed to layer the ingredients in the mason jar…oops I just took all the ingredients put them in a big bowl..mixed everything up..then placed it in the mason jars. Which is the correct way . iOS is one way better than the others?

Thanks for posting this and a bigger thank you for taking the time to answer everyone who asked a question. I am looking for healthy quick meals so Im going to try this next week. Your recipes look delicious so I can’t wait to try them. Do you prefer layering the igrediants verses mixing them up together?

I didn’t have a chance to read through all of the comments but kefir is a great option for the liquid aspect. Also chia seed and a strawberry cheesecake one with a little cream blended with the kefir and stevia. The kefir helps colonize the body with healthy probiotics.

I have never used almond butter. Is that found in the regular butter section? What am I looking for? Sticks or tub? Thanks for these wonderful recipes! I have tried one with Greek yogurt, but as soon as I find the almond butter I will be making these!

Awesome recipes. I love the look of most of them. I would probably skip the banana though.

One other comment, it amazes me how many people asked the same question. Don’t people read the comments before sticking their foot in? I guess not otherwise they wouldn’t have to ask. You have more patience than me. Good on you!

Thanks for the recipes. I made the oats with half milk and water and added raisins. Soaked overnight. It was delicious! I’m going to try all kinds of combinations. I love peanut butter and will work on that.

Looking forward to trying these recipes with slight modifications. I’m not a coconut fan and am avoiding added sweeteners, so I’ll probably omit the maple syrup and coconut.

I’ve been making an overnight oats recipe with pumpkin purée (2tbs), protein powder (1/2 serving) and Greek yogurt (2tbs). No added sweetener and no bananas. I add a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg for flavor. Love it, but looking forward to branching out. Thanks for sharing!

I have been making a large batch of cinnamon apple steel cut oats that I heat up each morning but I saw these and was intrigued. I ended up making a chocolate chip banana type version following your base recipe and I am in love!! So delicious 🙂 thank you so much for my new favorite breakfast!!

Has anyone tried blending these beforehand si they’ll mix better and fit into a smaller container if you use sliced fruits or soothing similar? Either blending into the milk them adding to the oats, or even blending the entire thing? Unless something like nuts, may not want to blend that. Just wondering if anyone tried this, if so, how it worked out?

Peaches, Rasberries, Rasberry coolis, Honey and just a little desicated coconut cause I like coconut with the base mix of oats, soy milk and half a banana makes a really awesome peach melba over night oat. If you really want to mix the flavours add a little peach juice. You need to reduce the milk in this one though!

Last night I made a version that I have no name for, but it was delish! I used quick oats, unsweetened almond/coconut milk, ½ banana, ¼ oz TJ’s unsweetened organic coconut chips, 1 tsp cocoa nibs, 1 tsp chia seed, 1 tsp agave, and after I heated it up, I added ¼ oz of freshly toasted red walnuts. It was so yummy! With the banana in it, I probably didn’t need the agave, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet because of it. I could’ve just saved myself the calories! I love all of your ideas and will be trying one as a new treat tomorrow morning! Thanks!

First off, love how simple and straightforward this article is. After I put the 1:1 base, I just had the snippet of the article with all the mixin options pulled up on my cell and I went at it. I just made the almond butter & jelly and banana nut bread. Can’t wait to try them both and the rest!

Oh, good that I still have a container full of oats. My mom and I really love oats for breakfast, but we have never made nor tried overnight oats. I would probably make some tonight after work and after buying some of mom’s favorite berries. Thank you for these great ideas!